Les Jeunes Européens – France, Les Jeunes Européens – Strasbourg and JEF Europe are organising a Large-scale model simulation that will take place online 14-19 June 2021. The simulation is being organized as part of “Y-FED: Europe is what we make of it” project. 

About the project

The project “Y-FED: Europe is what we make of it” aims to bring the EU closer to its young citizens by developing a proposal for an improved institutional framework of the Union in line with the European Youth Goals. The initiative, supported by an Erasmus+ “European Youth Together” grant, will be implemented in the years 2020-2021 through a series of capacity-building training courses, public policy hackathons, a large-scale simulation of a reformed EU and advocacy actions. The project partners comprise 18 civil society organisations as well as 2 networks of European and regional decision-makers.

Y-FED aims to:

• • Bring the EU closer to its citizens by raising awareness of the EU institutional framework and advocate for its reform based on young people’s recommendations.
  • Raise awareness of the European Youth Goals (EYGs) and support their implementation by embedding them in the reformed EU institutional model and bringing them from the European to the local level.
  • Engage young activists and youth organisations in promoting the developed model through policy dialogue and political advocacy.
  • Develop and test a model of a reformed EU institutional framework with young Europeans, offering them first-hand experience in policy-making and advocacy. 

To achieve these objectives, the project offers young citizens the possibility to develop proposals for a reformed EU that embeds the EYGs in its institutional framework and decision-making model. At the same time, it provides youth with the necessary skills to participate and influence political dialogues and decisions.

About the Large-scale Model Simulation

The large-scale simulation is the main event of the nearly 2 years long project “Y-FED: Europe is what we make of it” that will gather more than 150 young people from all over Europe in an online and physical environment for 5 days.

The model simulation is unlike any other simulation out there (MUNs, MEUs). It follows its own methodology: recreating a European Union of the future that is more youth-led, more inclusive, more efficient and closer to its citizens. The model is inspired by the first edition of Y-FED in 2019 and the hackathon solutions based on the European Youth goals. 

The event is going to be a blended activity with online and offline (in Strasbourg, France) settings. The current call is for the participants who will join the event online under the roles of journalists, lobbyists (Civil Society Organisations) and citizens. The rest of the roles will be for the participants who join the event physically in Strasbourg, as members of ‘‘The House of Citizens’’ and ‘‘The European Senate’’ for which the call has already closed. The goal will be to create a synergy between the journalists, lobbyists and citizens online and the participants in Strasbourg.

Delegations of the digital Model 

Journalists
Journalists will be responsible to cover the simulation and ensure that the events in the simulation are properly presented to the citizens and other actors. Also they will have to make sure that they have contacts from some of the stakeholders so they have the information on time. The tasks they will be involved in are the following:

• • Training for journalists (with Euractiv)
  • Press Conference during Plenary (Simulation)
  • Direct communication with policy makers during Simulation 
  • Internal tweet walls and etc

Lobbyists
Lobbyists will be civil society representatives and companies that would have their own agendas, they will try to influence the process before but also during the simulation.

• • Simulation training (Online)
  • Entering in the role (Online)
  • CSO Agora (Discussion and space for coordination before Plenary, during and after Plenary)
  • Direct messages (sending lobbyist letters to Decision makers)
  • Possibility for follow up meetings (TBC)

Citizens
Citizens are the people that would be engaged in the process in order to ensure that the stakeholders are involving citizens in their day to day work. They will be involved through a structured process. They will not be associated with the lobbyists or media.

• • Entering the role
  • Citizens dialogue (one off event during Simulation)
  • Online consultation (before event)

NB: It is not a full 5 days commitment (the digital participants will take part on 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th June for 2-3 hours per day msotly in the afternoon), which means they will receive a schedule when they need to be involved. More information will be shared soon on the schedule of all digital participants. A lot of times these roles in real life are “played”by people who need to adapt their normal job to be activists or as journalists they always need to be the first one to cover the hottest topics in Europe. And your participation will also reflect on that.

Profile of the Participants

• • Be aged between 18 and 30 years old;
  • Be a young activist engaged in youth work and social/political activities or young person who wants to be active;
  • Demonstrate an interest in the youth advocacy at the European level;
  • Be able to work and communicate fluently in English;
  • Having knowledge on how the EU works;
  • Be passionate about political dialogue;
  • Be willing to engage in the political dialogue at the regional and European level and advocate for youth priorities

Selection Process:

Applications for the simulation will be open  between the 27th April and 19th May 2021. Please follow the application instructions. Please fill in the application form below, we look forward to e-meeting you in the simulation field! 

If you have any questions feel free to contact elitsa.hadzhieva@jef.eu or rebecca.gaff@jef.eu 

• • Y-FED?

Y-FED stands for “Why Federalism” in aiming to simulate a European union with federal institutions.

• • Will there be any COVID-19 safety measures?

Yes, of course. The simulation has already been adjusted to the 2021-reality. All safety measures that will be active in France and specifically the Alsace region between the dates of 14-19 June will be strictly kept.

There will be hygiene materials for everyone and everyone will need to keep distance and wear masks during the event. Non-compliance to the safety and health measures will not be tolerated. There will be a designated health and safety person who will keep track if everyone is complying with the safety rules and that person will directly liaise with the participants of how they are feeling physically and if they have any symptoms occurring. 

• • Would there be any additional health and safety measures on spot?

We are looking into having different solutions (example is having quick and self-test available if possible) during the event to make sure there is no contamination or if there is any to be able to solve the problem in the best possible way for all people present. 

• • What if the physical part gets cancelled and I have already booked my tickets?

As soon as we have selected the participants who will come to Strasbourg, France, we will liaise with them in booking their tickets. We will share tips with you on booking tickets with travel insurance and a clearly defined cancellation policy that allows us to reimburse them according to the rules of the Erasmus+ programme. Our main goal is for participants to not lose money as we are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic affected a lot of people and in this regards young people as well.

• • Why is the open call only for 2 roles?

Those are the 2 roles that will join the event physically in Strasbourg.  At the end of April or beginning of May, we will have an open call for other roles such as citizens and lobbyists who will attend the event digitally.

• • Is there any need of preparation prior to the application process?

No, everything in connection with the roles that each participant will play will be shared with them as soon as they are selected. There will be written materials and preparation webinars before the start of the simulation in order to ensure the smooth running of the event.

• • Who is eligible to participate?

Any young person traveling from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and Turkey.

• • Is experience with simulations (MEU, MUN) required to participate in the event?

No, we are welcoming anyone who is motivated and interested to join our event. 

• • How does this event differ from other simulations like the Model European Union (MEU)?

The model simulation was created and simulated for the first time in June 2019 and this year we are again simulating a different European Union with the goal of showing that its institutional framework can be improved and test what could work better to make the EU more efficient and closer to its citizens. For this edition, we are also using the 27 hackathon solutions that were developed by nearly 200 young people around Europe in what they want to see in the Future European Union.

• • I am not 18 yet, can I still participate?

Yes, after a signed declaration from their legal guardian/s. 

• • I am over 30, can I still participate?

The eligibility age for the participants in the event according to the Erasmus+ programme is 13 to 30 years old.

• • I know rather little about the EU and federalism but want to learn more – is it the right event for me?

It is definitely the right event for you. We are creating a space for those who are eager to learn more and understand better what is federalism about and the EU. 

• • I am sceptical about deeper EU integration. Is this simulation right for me?

We encourage people with critical thinking and being sceptical when it comes to the institutional framework and the EU integration that is based on real facts. Having people with different opinions on the topics is also an important element of any simulation model and we are more than welcoming towards those people to also join us.

• • Can I pay the participation fee in cash?

Yes, the participation fee can also be paid by cash on the spot.

• • I don’t feel comfortable meeting other people, yet. How can I participate?

We have a solution for you as well. Our simulation is a blended activity which means that in addition to the 2 roles that will be present in Strasbourg, we will have participants applying for the roles of lobbyist and citizens joining online. Stay tuned and we will publish our call for those in the end of April.

Meanwhile, if you are interested, please express it via this form or directly by filling it below: